Police seized drugs with an estimated value of over NIS 1 million after uncovering an underground drug lab inside a tunnel near Bedouin towns near Arad in the Negev, Israel Police reported on Tuesday morning.
The underground drug lab was uncovered over the weekend by officers from the Arad station, with the assistance of Border Police officers. According to the report, the tunnel containing the lab was built for the production and cultivation of cannabis, which is deemed a dangerous substance in Israel and requires medical permits to use.
The lab, which was equipped with a large amount of equipment, housed over 600 plants weighing around 140 kilograms, which were intended for public distribution, the police noted. Evidence was collected for further investigation at the Arad police station.
The discovery of the one million-worth drug lab was part of ongoing efforts against violence and serious crime, targeting crime families, in a nationwide operation called “Emergency Halt,” the police explained.
Arresting and prosecuting crime instigators
The operation involves enhanced police action against criminals, targeting economic infrastructure and crime instigators, and is directed by Police Commissioner Dani Levi. Additionally, the operation aims to identify and arrest the crime instigators, prosecute them, and continuously reduce crime in the area while strengthening law-abiding citizen’s sense of security.
As such, the police stressed that additional investigative actions would be taken to locate and arrest the suspects involved in the growing and cultivation of the underground cannabis found in the Negev.
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